Linked Databases

[steveaich]

I think this is a bug (or is it an undocumented feature?)

We use a linked database to store our product details, all products are held in this database and then linked into Actinic.

If an unallocated product is added into a particular actinic site by dragging and dropping, it then adds this data into the ActinicCatalog.mdb database.

However if you then alter this product from within the site, only the external database is updated, not ActinicCatalog.mdb

This causes a number of problem. ie. If you edit a product desription, and then create a duplicate (which we do) the duplicate has the pre-edited description. Also if you edit the price, although the price appears to have been changed, when you add the product to your cart, the old price is used.

To solve this actinic needs to update both the external and internal databases when changes are made. It also needs to sync the databases on startup so that if changes have been made in the external database, these are then synched into the ActinicCatalog.mdb (internal) database.

As a workround we have to edit products, then delete them, then add them in again from the unallocated products list (and also re create any duplicates that we wish to reflect the changes).

[Jan]

If you are using external data Actinic takes the product data directly from the external source before uploading or displaying product details, so I don't understand why you are getting these problems. Try making a change and then running a local site preview to see if the change it picked up.

At one point Actinic used to update the internal database before running a catalog summary or detail report, so you could try doing that to see that resolves your problem.

Also go to the product in catalog and make sure that the use external database field is ticked, I have see this not ticked when it should have been ticked automatically a few times now.

Regards,

[steveaich]

The relevant box is ticked, the problem occurs when you edit the original, and then create a duplicate, or when you change the price, the duplicate is created from the data in ActinicCatalog,mdb, not the data in the external database, so if ActinicCatalog.mdb isn't updated when you edit the product (which it isn't) then the duplicate is created from the out of date data. With the prices I thinmk it's to do with the creation of the a00001 etc files(or whichever file the actinic scripts use to get their price info from) as this file is also created from the ActinicCatalog.mdb database, not the external database.

[Jan]

It does sound like a bug then, the duplicate should be based on the external data not the internal one.

Did you try running the catalog details report?

Regards,

[steveaich]

Just tried running the catalog details report, and then creating a duplicate of an edited product, still creates the duplicate based on the un-edited product. Looking very much like a bug to me... (Actinic support, we know you're reading this )

[cdicken]

What version of Actinic are you using? I've just been trying this out in 7.0.3 and have not been able to re-create the error. Here is what I did.

1) Linked to an external database.
2) Dragged a product from the 'Unallocated External Products' section into my store.
3) Made a change to the full description. I confirm that this edits the field in the external database, rather than editing the product record in the Actinic database. You can tick and untick 'Use External Data' to toggle between the two.
4) Created a duplicate of the linked product.

The duplicate contains the data from the external database rather than the internal Actinic database. And when I make a further change in the linked product and then click 'Reset' on the duplicate, it resets to the data from the external database.

[steveaich]

Sorry for wasting people time with this one, I now can't replicate my own problem. (I tested this many times before posting.) It was definately a problem in 7.01 and I'm sure I tested in 7.03 before posting, however I can't replicate the problem now! Thanks for your feedback.

[Pneumatus]

Hi guys, I am getting this problem as well. I have a database linked externally but not for editing (The middle tickbox in external linking is unticked). When I update the link table Actinic doesnt make changes from it.

Steps to reproduce:

1) Create a new product that is in the database
2) Link the external database ticking the first and third boxes. (The product in the database should over-ride the existing product and take control)
3) Create a duplicate of the product
4) Change the product full description in the database
5) Refresh the data link in Actinic

The product that just got edited should have been changed but has not (at least not for me)

Using an Access database and Actinic 7.0.3 here

This is a very annoying bug i've only just come across after never having used duplicates and it's becoming quite a pain in the backside. Any temporary workaround would be appreciated as well.

Regards

[Pneumatus]

I should also add, it is the master product that is not getting updated - For some reason Actinic seems to be 'detaching' it from the linked product routines for updating. Removing the product from database control then editing the data and putting it back under external control also has no effect as it returns to some 'cached' copy of the external database rather than refreshing it properly.

HTH

[Pneumatus]

Well I thought i could reproduce it but it seems to be working fine now... All products are updating as expected. Please ignore my steps to reproduce because I can't follow them to make it happen again